Itachi and Sakura: Mourning
by Sarahmint
Summary: Sequel to Uchiha Redemption. Itachi and Sakura find solace in each other. Story is incomplete. I cannot find it within myself to write a sex scene, so that part is skipped.
1. looking at his reflection

Placing his hand on the window looking at both his reflection and the raindrops as he cries, pulling as much of his strength as he can to step outside. The weight paralyzed with loss, he moved himself out to the rain as soon as he could. He didn't even know if he was crying because all he felt was unbearable pain.

Sakura approached Itachi, wanting to talk about Sasuke. She felt it has been a couple of days and it would be the right time. All he could do was hold her hand and look away. He could not get himself to say anything, so the best way he could respond to her is holding her hand.

They went to Sasuke's room. Embraced each other. Looked in each other's eyes in comfort and kissed. Kissing with lips and hands. Slowly pushed the clothes off, keeping the palms of their hands on each other. Embracing. Eventually they were naked and kissing. They never wanted to let go of each other. Sakura was crying. Itachi silently huffed as tears streamed down his eyes.

After they climaxed with the fresh air in Itachi's mind, he was able to let go and speak from his heart clearly.

"I loved him."

Sakura looked at him with complete love in her heart knowing this moment she would always love Itachi more then any other. But she was firmly focused on what he had to say.

"I tried so hard to be a shinobi. All I could do was fight. I could never make any decisions that did not involve combat. Everything I did was a failure. I wanted Sasuke to live and take the Uchiha name, but the opposite happened. I don't deserve to be alive, but knowing my brother wanted me to live and find happiness, I cannot help but do what he wishes. I have nothing else to live for. "

She decided to tell him a secret.

"He rejected me."

"What?"

"I loved him and I told him my feelings, but he rejected me. Maybe it was meant to be this way."

"…."

"If I could not make him happy, then there was no mistake that I fell for you."

"Its my fault he couldn't be with you" Itachi looked at the ceiling. "I was his older brother. He always looked up to me, chased me, wanted to be with me, wanted to perform as well as me. . . I didn't even see it."

"But why did you…"

Sakura couldn't ask. She covered her mouth in disgust. She She got off the bed, went to the bathroom and threw up. She forgot what Itachi did. She fell for him. She completely forgot she got into bed with a serial killer. Sakura started trembling. She wanted to leave. The window was right there. But instead of dashing out, she started crying. The darkness of what Sasuke use to be was directly caused by Itachi. He killed his own clan and his own parents. He tried to kill Sasuke but he got away, how, she didn't know. She felt more confused then anything else. She was more concerned with getting a hold of herself then dashing out the window to freedom and safety away from Itachi. She could not believe someone so gentle and focused could be such a monster. She realized she did not lock the door. As she looked up, she realized Itachi was not coming after her like a preditor whose cover was blown. She was grateful but so confused. She fell in love with a man who murdered his family. A man who destroyed the life and soul of Sasuke, her first crush and former team mate.

Itachi lay in bed thinking about all of these things and knowing he could never have a normal life, even resurrected because he _was_ a monster. Once you kill your family, there is no going back. He always knew that, but something else would never be normal and he could not figure it out. He did his best in suppressing emotions and thought it was a mistake to even get physically involved with a team Kunoichi. But he thought about the words he just said as he sat up to put his clothes on. He decided not to leave, but to stay so he could talk with her if she wanted to. His biggest mistake was not doing that with Sasuke.


	2. Itachi broke down at his brothers grave

Itachi cried at his brothers grave.

"I tried so hard to protect you…I failed…I'm a monster…I'm broken".

Sakura could do nothing as he softly cried. The insects chirped their midnight song as the stars in the vast sky were so far away in an abyss of loneliness.

Sakura refused to abandon Sasuke's brother who he claimed to love in his will. She didn't understand what happened that night, but knew there was more good in Itachi then she knew. It would be best not to ask any more questions, because there was a reason Sasuke wanted revenge after his initial death. All she knew was that "Konoha" was to blame. She only questioned Sasuke's sanity, but never what happened between him and his brother. She felt a sense of authentic emotion and generosity from Itachi and even wondered if she was under some kind of charm genjutsu but somehow she felt as if it was the right thing to trust Itachi. It was Sasuke she believed in, even though she didn't know much about him. It was a risk she was willing to take.

In mourning it takes a long time to heal. Death of a loved one is a trauma like a broken bone that needs proper mending. Medical ninjustu would never work with coping with Sasuke's loss. Sakura's way was to comfort Itachi. Itachi was beside himself with grief and was only using Sakura to help focus on his Hokage appointed task of protecting the Uchiha clan and the Uchiha name. "Protect Konoha" was always at the base of his chakra, a backfire that was intended for Sasuke. In his heart, he is glad Sasuke was not put under his genjutsu because Sasuke was able to make his own choice while still protecting the village. It hurt so much that everything he tried to protect didn't want it or didn't find it as valuable.

For a moment through his grief, he realized Sasuke wanted Itachi to find that happiness that life gives you, even though that is near impossible all he has been through, even though so much weight Itachi never would have believed would be lifted off his shoulders now that his mother and father were revived and even forgave him, he just could not image the world without Sasuke. The world without the boy who had calm peace under drops of rain. That memory was when he first realized he would never love another person like his brother as long as he lived.

Sakura followed him home. She dared not ask any probing questions. She did not understand why he was so grief-stricken, but she did understand there must have been more to that night he killed his parents then she had any idea. The important thing was that Itachi may not have been a sociopath she thought he was. If he had sudden murderous tendencies, Sasuke would not have revived him again, because then that would just be another massacre. Sasuke was smarter then that. Her faith in Itachi was through her faith in Sasuke.

She took her hand and undid the top of her blouse. Her neck and bosom for him. She wanted him. She wanted to comfort him and feel him inside her again. He approached her but he was so bereaved all he could say was "lie with me". They slept together in celibacy, embracing the beauty of their warm bodies. Had they not stayed together, they would not have gotten any of the sleep they needed for the next day.


	3. Update

**Yagura Isobu **is writing a story called "Crow in the Wilting Sakura Tree" based on this. The story will soon be complete.


End file.
